Wear this thing on a belt around your waist?
Sure.
Yeah.
That must have been, um, super handy.
From the Sault Ste. Marie Museum:
Ornamental clasp or chain with a hook from which items such as keys, watches, seals and trinkets were hung.
Worn at the waist, mainly by women, from the 17th century; they became less fashionable from 1830, but made a comeback between 1890-1910.
Some were simple with only six items while others were more elaborate and could hold up to 12 items - these were much heavier and some came attached to a wide belt which was worn around the waist.
Find more entries here, and check out what the museum has to offer at www.saultmuseum.com
You can also check out LOCAL2's new Friday feature, The LOCAL2 Time Machine, which features historical images and video courtesy the Sault Ste. Marie Museum.